Where can I train?

In this article I want to answer some frequently asked questions that bother many beginners. Some of them are –

I can’t do workouts when people staring at me!

When I first started calisthenics I felt very uncomfortable of working out in front of other people. I didn’t want to make myself looking stupid if I failed to do something cool. I was afraid of making myself a laughing stock.
But then slowly I realized that people didn’t stare at me because of that, they were just curious about my workouts because calisthenics are not so common.
You should not concern yourself with other’s opinions. Focus on what you are doing instead of thinking what other’s might be thinking about you. As a matter of fact, calisthenics are best performed in unconventional places, where people are present. Just think of them as spectators who are there to cheer you. You will find that you begin to perform better when others are looking at you. Use this as a motivation, as a stepping stone and your fears will vanish in thin air before long.

“A ONE HOUR WORKOUT IS 4% OF YOUR DAY”

I don’t have a place to train and no equipment at home!

Fear not, we have got you covered. First of all, you should know your exercises.
In calisthenics we mostly perform pushups, pullups, handstands, dips, squats, sprints, jumps.
To perform all these exercises, you don’t need much equipment. Many of them can be done at home, all you need is just a few feets of empty floor space and if you don’t have some then my friend you have some bigger problems to take care of instead of thinking about getting a great body.
Pushups, squats, burpees, sprints, jumps can be done anywhere on a firm flat surface. For other exercises you will need some equipment which is readily available all around us.
You will need an overhead bar to do pullups, leg raises, dips. If you can’t find a bar then a tree branch, an empty doorway, rafters in roof, or even a rope stretched around two poles will be a good substitute. And if you look carefully than you might find hundreds of such places scattered all around your neighborhood where you can do your pullups.
For handstand a plain solid wall will work just fine. You will need some parallel bars for doing dips, some are training and even freestanding pushups on. If you can’t find parallel bars then a couple of some sturdy chairs, wooden crates etc. will fit the bill.
In my opinion the best places to do calisthenics is in a calisthenics park or a kids playground. These places have enough bars to excite a family of gymnasts, plus you will have some great motivators in the form of kids.

I can’t train in this bad weather!

In a single year you will only get two pleasant seasons for outdoor training – Spring and Autumn. Winters will be too cold and summers will be too hot.
So does that mean you stop training when the weather is rough?

NO!!! Calisthenics is not just about physical training, it’s also about mental toughness. You need to develop the never say die attitude. It’s cold outside – wear some extra layers and kill your workout. It’s too hot outside – train early in the morning and late in the evening. Excuses will always be there. You need to rise above the obstacles if you need to achieve something great.
If your goal is mastery of calisthenics, then nothing can stop you. The beauty of calisthenics lies in the fact that it’s practically impossible to find a place where you can’t train! Be it your house, your office, your park, your street, your gym, your backyard, be it anywhere, you will always find something to hang from, something to jump upon, something to climb on, the only thing limiting you is your imagination.

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